A Fresh Start
by Denebola Leo
Summary: The journal of a man who has found himself and his family far away from home, and so goes on to make a new one among the stars.
1. A New Universe

_Where to start...It's been about a month since we came to this strange universe, and none of us know how we got here. One day we were on the new and improved Shera with our friends, and then everything just went black. I woke up at some strange facility in...space, of all places. There were so many strange, unfamiliar faces. People that looked like apes, plants that kind of look like people, things like that._

 _At least they were nice. They had no idea what Gaia is, or Lifestream, or Jenova. It simply doesn't exist, or hasn't been discovered yet, and I'm both relieved and unnerved. After some searching and asking, I found my family again, and they'd been searching for me, too. Some guy named Penguin Pete offered to give us a spaceship of all things for a couple of odd jobs, and Tifa and I agreed to it. We're pretty strong, right? Didn't make it any easier. Hell, trying to get that Erchius crystal was almost a death trap. But, he kept up his side of the bargain, and even threw in a couple of matter manipulators that were being manufactured again, according to him._

 _Granted neither of us knew what the hell that was until an Ape-man, an Apex, explained to us how to use them. He was pretty patient with us, and gave me a huge grin when I finally realized that basically, with these gizmos and that little spaceship, we can make our own home on whatever planet we chose. A fresh start away from...everything. I just hope that our friends are out there, safe. Maybe on another facility, Cid cursing and making a ship from scrap. Or maybe we're the only ones that disappeared from the ship.  
_

 _When we finally found out how to get onto our ship(a teleporter at the 2-stop-teleshop), the kids were freaking out at how 'cool' it was. And here I was, trying to figure out the ship's AI and where to start. We had enough fuel for a single jump, so we had to make it count. After some star map gazing, I found a star system we could try our luck at. The AI said the 'Garden' planet would be safest, so Tifa and I went down to check it out._

 _It's pretty nice here, if a little rainy sometimes. We spent hours clearing a space for a house, whacking trees, crafting things, killing aggressive animals, manipulating rocks. Tifa came back with a bunch of wild food and seeds for a garden as I worked on the house, but we had to leave when night fell. We ate some canned food left in the locker of the ship, Marlene and Denzel making faces and calling it dog food. Maybe it was, but I was hungry enough to eat it._

 _It took almost a week to build a proper house, felling and replanting trees, making clay bricks, growing the garden and building a fire for cooking. It's simple, with a cobblestone floor and wood walls, but it's cozy and has a fireplace, and the kids have their own rooms even if they're a bit empty yet. I might make a basement later for storage, after fixing up the area around the house. We had to make beds and tables and chairs, everything, and I'm still working on improving the house after all this time on this planet. I don't think I've ever been more content, though. It's a little lonely, but I'm too busy to think about it._

 _We've been selling surplus crops to the facility we woke up on for currency called 'pixels', and I've been planning on purchasing a teleporter so we can sail off to other planets, then come home after the day is over. Who knows what else is out there? I want to find out._


	2. Growing

_Copper ore. I found the stuff while digging about the ground as I tried to level a hill near our new home. With the rain being such a common feature on the planet, I worried that having this hill so close could result in a mudslide destroying our work. I've worked on it for a couple of days now, the hill growing shorter and shorter as my compacted dirt supplies grew larger and larger. Eventually I had most of it atomized by the manipulator, keeping some in case we needed a little bit for another project._

 _I had a few dozen nuggets of the orange ore along with a lot of coal, and the AI ran me through what I had to do with the smelter. After it was done I had just as many bars, and I decided to use a few for some nicer light fixtures in and around the house that replaced the small torches that kept animals at bay or the windows that let in light during the day and night when the skies were clear and the sun or planet was out. Yeah, technically this is a habitable moon, but it's large enough that it's a planet to us. The gas giant we orbit around floods the night with an otherworldly, pale violet light that brings a peaceful glow into the house. I got to work on those new lights in the ship, and some sort of plumbing so we didn't have to run to the ship for those amenities; it'll still be a while before I have it finished, but it's a start._

 _The look on Tifa's face when I came down with a bunch of shiny lights was priceless. This place is slowly getting nicer and nicer as we get the hang of everything. We have a rain barrel for water, but I kind of wish there was a nearby pond for the kids to play in. If matter manipulators can move solids around, I wonder if it can do the same to liquids? I'll go back to the space facility tomorrow before I get to work and ask someone about it._

 _Speaking of which, that's where Tifa is getting some new recipes for all this weird produce we're growing. I almost cracked a tooth on a pearlpea the other day, and she had to ask a visiting cook how to prepare the hard little things properly. With his help, she made something called pearlpea risotto, and it's not bad. Could use some salt._

 _Tomorrow I'll finish flattening that hill. I keep hearing weird noises from the ground...I wonder what it is?_


	3. Farm Boy

_Well, I talked to someone about the matter manipulators. Apparently I need these things called "Manipulator Modules" to upgrade the gizmos. I can trade services for them, but sometimes people find them in caches left on planets. Can you believe it? Folks just leaving a cache on a random planet...Finders keepers, I guess. How many people are out there? Maybe it won't be so lonely here eventually. I also talked to the 2 stop teleshop lady, and apparently I need a teleporter core to buy one of them. I should have asked earlier! I guess things aren't always so simple. Anyway, it's time to flatten the rest of that hill._

* * *

 _Oh, this afternoon was crazy. I finished off that hill, but...there was a cavern system underneath it! I don't know how many monsters I had to kill just to clear it out. We put some torches up to light the area, and we found some weird grey containers we smashed, and plenty of ore deposits. Copper, iron, silver and more coal, while the containers had pixels, rope, and flares. I was so busy collecting the deposits I almost didn't notice a small box in one of the tunnels, and I assume it's one of those caches someone left behind. It had a Manipulator Module in it, some pixels, and a weapon, a spear. Maybe I'll give it to Denzel, just in case some Gleap shows up while we're gone. Guess I need a handful more of modules before I can upgrade mine. I'll need extra for Tifa's...Guess I'll have to search the planet for them. God, I miss Fenrir. Maybe I can get one of the outpost engineers to make a bike similar to her..._

 _I think I'll fill in the cave system and build a barn over it. Terramart has eggs for chickens and something called a "Mooshi". I was told they produce milk, and we could use that and some eggs in our diet. The produce we grow and the meat we harvest is great, but I kinda miss fried eggs. I miss coffee, too. The kids miss candy and Tifa misses chocolate. Hm, I think I saw a shop that sells chocolate. I'll go there and grab some up for the family. Maybe we can take a walk and enjoy the woods, a day out after I finish that barn. Heh. From delivery boy to interstellar farm boy. I've had twists and turns in my life, but...This is something else.  
_

 _I still wonder how our friends are doing. Are they safe, are they out there, too? When we gaze at the stars in the night sky, are they doing the same, wondering if we're out there as well? They'd be right. I hope we find you all. Marlene misses you, Barret. I think I might miss Yuffie a little bit. I could imagine Vincent could never get tired of searching the stars. Some day I might know for sure._


	4. Life is Good

_It's been an interesting week. Got to treat the family to some chocolate, and we walked out to explore some more of our new home. We thought about naming the planet something pronounceable, like...well, Gaia. Maybe we'll call it that, too. Gaia. Something that reminds us of our old home. As we walked, we found an interesting biome filled with flowers and hopping monsters that I had to slice apart for the sake of safety. Marlene was running around, enjoying the area, picking flowers and making necklaces. We found some blueprints for a hanging flower lamp in a chest(which sits in Marlene's room now), and the girl insists it be made for her room.  
_

 _So, I bought a Robot Hen for...well, a lot of pixels. We should make back what we lost eventually, anyway. A new light hangs in Marlene's room now, and she'd love more flower decorations. Denzel isn't sure what he wants his room decorated with yet, but I promised him we'd look into something cool. I gave him a sleek looking storage container I found during a spelunking bout, and now I have more than enough Manipulator Modules to upgrade Tifa and mine's gizmos. I finished up a shallow pond the kids can play in, and I worked on a stick lantern to light the cavern system I found. Bleh. There was tar(and bones) everywhere, but the oil I sucked up should come in handy later. I've been going deeper into the caves, into the planet, discovering gold veins and sometimes abandoned homes. How old are they, I wonder? Where did everyone go? The AI said the planet was uninhabited, but it was at some point.  
_

 _Later in the week I worked on digging that basement I was thinking about. I reinforced it with cobblestone walls and copper beams, and put some storage boxes down there after I finished placing the stairs. These Matter Manipulators are something else...You know, I'll probably replace the lower half of the house with brick after a while, that way the heat doesn't disperse so quickly. I need to check with that toad guy at the outpost and see if he has any kitchen appliances in, again. What he has seems to change day to day, so I'll just keep a daily watch until I can get some things Tifa could use. He also has colony deeds, so if I want to have others live nearby(and profit off of it), I can do that, too. Should I? Maybe some day. I'm happy with just my family with me right now.  
_

 _Yesterday, a Hylotl merchant beamed down to visit the farm. They didn't have a lot, but some of the furniture they had was pretty interesting. Got a lily clock for the living room, and a couple of neat lanterns I can hang off a small chain. A new fruit, too...It's called a "Reefpod". It can only grow underwater, too. I saved whatever seeds I could from the fruits we bought and I plan on making a deeper, smaller pond to try growing them. The merchant taught us a few recipes for the strange fruit; it's savory but sweet, and salty too. I asked her where these things come from, and she said planets covered in ocean readily supply them. There's also Hylotl cities down there, too. The merchant seemed prideful of her species' artistic accomplishments and enduring spirit after the Florans almost wiped them out. Sounds like there's bad blood between the two species, that's for sure._

 _Denzel thinks both Floran and Hylotl look cool. He might be right, but I'd rather be stuck in a room with the latter in most cases. One is a hyperactive hunter, and the other a stuck up artist. Maybe I'd end up strangling both, I don't know. They're alright if you can walk away from them.  
_

 _For now, Tifa tried out reefpod milkshakes. It was actually pretty good, I have to admit. We drank them while star gazing, and Tifa said I had a smile on my face the whole time. Guess I just felt good last night. I feel good right now, too. Life is good.  
_


	5. Dying is Weird

Well, _I sort of...died, the other day._ _  
_

 _I was exploring another planet around our solar system, not too far from our new home, and when I was exploring a large cavern I slipped off a ledge and...fell. I should have been more careful, I promised Tifa I'd come home safe. I mean I did, but that's because the spaceship can clone my body down to my chest scars, and what a pleasant surprise that was. The machine even copied my clothing. Or did it transport it with my...essence? I went back to the place I fell and saw no corpse, just items I'd gathered that day flung about the ground. I was missing some pixels, too. Maybe that's the price for being reborn in a fresh body. I'm still in awe over the technology this universe has developed.  
_

 _Tifa was so upset when she found out that night, though. Relieved but upset. Crying, beating my chest as I held her. Wondering if it's 'really me' or just some clone thinking I'm me. But there wasn't a body, and the ship AI said it teleports our remains and whatever makes us, us, with it for the new body it produces. I guess it's more like being recycled, in that case. Isn't that how it is on Gaia? Only we have to be reincarnated there, memories and ego gone. Here I assume death doesn't have to be permanent in all cases. Still, I'm going to be more careful in the future, I don't want to have to make trips back to where I got myself killed to pick stuff up.  
_

 _You'd think the tech that Apex scientist gave us a few days ago would have helped, but I used it too soon. Oh well, that's my fault for having an itchy trigger finger, not her's. Anyway, the reefpod seedlings are growing well and I've begun work on the brick wall replacement of the lower level of the house. I did the kitchen first so I could surprise Tifa before she came home, the toad man finally had a kitchen set I could purchase. Still need to find a fridge, though._

 _She really loved the set, too. Makes the house look so much more like a home, warm and inviting. The kids seemed to like it, too. Tifa made carrot bread to celebrate her new kitchen, and the scent of it brought me back to Nibelheim before all the bad memories...my mother used to make something like this. It's a good thing, really._

 _I purchased some hay and feed for the barn animals yesterday, our Mooshi produces a lot of milk. Wonder if there's a way to make a quick cheese with all the surplus? Guess I'll ask around again, it can't be that hard._

 _I also found a teleporter core on that planet I visited, and now we have a teleporter right outside the fence in a brick enclosure to keep the rain off of it. The space ship orbits that other planet now, and we go back and forth between the three as we see fit. The AI said there's settlements scattered about to look out for, and I'll probably try and find one tomorrow. I wonder what species made their homes here? I hear humans are a lot rarer than they used to be out in the cosmos because their home planet was destroyed years ago, and they're still recovering. Guess our arrival bolstered their numbers a little bit._

 _It's raining gently right now and I'm writing this by the fireplace, and I'm about to go to bed. Tifa's probably waiting on me to finish up. Until next time...  
_


	6. Sir Cloud

_Well, the other planet has some interesting settlements. I landed near one, a Glitch village. They aren't really a 'species' per say, just weird robots; most of them act like humans on Gaia did a couple of centuries before the invention of mako energy. Their villages are neat and cozy, with blacksmiths and other craftsmen, and even a king that rules over the place. Guess I'll have to stay on his good side. Speaking of which, he requested I go on a "quest" to defeat some bandits that were harassing the village. I agreed to do it, and they weren't too far from the settlement at all, in a cave by the road. I tried reasoning with them but they wanted to act tough, so First Tsurugi taught them a lesson. I came back to the village, the king calling me "Sir Cloud"...I hope Tifa and the kids never land here with me around. I'm not a knight._

 _Well, I was given a reward for my work; it was a jukebox they had no use for. After trading with some of the craftsmen I headed back home, and I placed the jukebox in the living room. Tifa likes it, reminds her of the bar she says. While the kids were out playing in the pond we listened to some of the music on it, even tried dancing a little bit. I can't dance to save my life, but we had a good time nonetheless. Tifa couldn't stop laughing at my attempts until I started dancing with her in my arms, and we just sort of flowed with it after that. Almost tripped over my own feet a few times, though. Tifa's laughter is cute, even when it's directed at me.  
_

 _I found a fridge at another settlement ran by Apex, they wanted me to tackle this large monster that was terrorizing the countryside. Good thing I'm so good with a sword...after that I traded some pixels for their bananas, the kids were happy to see those again. I had one before I left, they're even better than I remembered...I have to wonder if the fruits are genetically enhanced? Not that I'm complaining, I'm pleasantly surprised they have them in this universe._

 _I've dug deeper into this other planet, and I'm finding a new ore, tungsten. I asked about the new discovery, the ship AI said I can upgrade some of my crafting tables with it, so that's what I'm going to do when I find enough. After that I'm visiting that desert planet that's close to the star and checking out any deposits available there._

 _Speaking of discovery, I have a lot of furniture stored away that we either don't need or want...I think I'll clear an area near our home and make a rent house. May as well put that junk to work, right? Hopefully the tenant isn't noisy...I'll put a lot of space between us, I think. May as well get a settlement going, have people close by. I have a lot of timber ready for the project._

 _Yesterday I put some shelves on the walls of the bedrooms, so there's a place to stick the kids' collections. Marlene found a plush, and Denzel's been collecting geodes Tifa or I bring back from exploring also insisted on their own garden plots; It seems they discovered some seeds while we were gone and they want to grow them by themselves. So, I gave them the hoe and told them to get on it...and that's exactly what they did. I wonder if I should take Denzel with me when I hop planets...he's getting older, and I want him to get used to all these new sights. I'll have to be more careful with him in tow, but it'll be worth it. I'll bring it up with him after breakfast tomorrow.  
_


	7. I Hate Pussplums

_Pussplums. I hate pussplums._

 _Disgusting, oozing things, filled with this gross, pus-like cream inside...The thought makes me gag! Denzel and I found them while exploring this weird meat cave...A meat cave! It stank to high heaven and the creatures there split in half and chase you instead of staying dead like they should. So, we find these weird fruits, he wants to take then with us. I'm not gonna eat them, that's for sure. Apparently they are indeed edible and considered a delicacy despite how disgusting they are, and Denzel described the taste as 'tangy'. He's growing them in his garden plot, I hope to Gaia he's not going to take a liking to them. They look like giant, red, pus-filled boils. It does seem the new neighbor likes them, and it's been trading pixels for the produce, so maybe that's why..._

 _The tenant is a Floran, and I admit to being a little trepidatious towards it, but it's been extremely well behaved, hunting snaunt near the property and teaching the kids how to play with Floran bongos. I think I'll set up a few more houses later on then, and get a small community going. It'll be nice to have other people to talk to, I know Tifa wanted to have neighbors.  
_

 _I've found some more things on the desert planet, like...well, sand. I'm using it for glass production; the windows we originally had on the house were from a few friendly folks at the outpost. I made some new ones with copper lining, they look nicer than the wooden ones if you ask me. There was also something else on this planet...healing water. It glows in the dark and heals injuries, so I sucked up what I could and brought it back home with me. Reminds me of the church a little bit, if I'm being totally honest here. Maybe I'll put some in the pond, it seems to infect regular water with its powers, and I'm not going to complain about that at all.  
_

 _Tifa found a new kind of crop, weird like pussplums but a lot less disgusting. The Floran said it's called a "boneboo" and it's basically vegetarian...meat. Meat fruits that grow on stalks. For some reason it's used in certain sweets, too. A spooky pie? Maybe we'll try it out some time, sounds a bit silly though. Tifa can probably make something tasty out of it.  
_

 _The ship AI told me where to get fuel for the ship. I either pay for the stuff at the station on the outpost, or I risk it out on one of the moons. I'm working on a device that'll protect me from airless environments, called an 'EPP', or '_ _ _Environmental Protection Pack'. It said with this I won't suffocate on an airless moon or under the ocean, so if I go to one of those ocean worlds I can visit a Hylotl city.__

 _Sometimes during the night I watch that large, purple gas giant our home circles, and I wonder how and why we are where we are now. I'm still dumbfounded despite easily coping with the new universe we've been flung into; Tifa feels the same way. I've been losing hope lately that we'll ever see our old friends again, and honestly...it saddens me, a lot. Guys, where ever you are, I hope you're safe and happy. And if you're out there among the stars, I hope I see you again soon._


	8. I Missed You

_She's here. I can't believe it, after around two months, a familiar face! I must have the dumbest smile on my face right now._

 _I was setting up more homes so our Floran tenant wouldn't be lonely, and I built something that reminded me of a place...It reminded me of Wutai, made from Hylotl items I picked up here and there on one of the planets. Then, when I placed the deed on the wall, I was greeted with a loud squeal and a rib crushing hug._

 _And so many tears. Yuffie called me a "big spiky-headed jerk" for disappearing on her like that, and I couldn't help but laugh and hug her back tightly. I missed her. I missed that silly little materia thief that understood what it means to have motion sickness. I must have held her for a good half an hour, rubbing her back. She said she had been wandering about with Avian sky pirates and had just recently put in for the tenant program, because 'Omigawd Avians don't know how to handle a babe like me!' I'd bet all my pixels she was caught stealing from the ship's captain and decided to escape through this._

 _When I brought her to the farm, Tifa nearly knocked her over when she ran up to embrace her. Yuffie stayed for dinner, and boy was she happy to eat something other than beakseed. The kids were happy to see their 'Aunt' Yuffie again. We told her we didn't know what the hell happened, but that we weren't too upset about it at all. Seeing her alive just gave me renewed hope that the rest are out there, too. It'll be great to see them again. We showed her our small ship, and Yuffie asked if she could come with us on it. We were fine with it as long as she didn't try to hijack it. I'm pretty sure today she was trying to weasel a matter manipulator out of Pete. Wonder if he'll agree to it?  
_

 _Regardless, Tifa and I are going to set up a house close to the farm for her with more of those materials we acquired from that abandoned Hylotl palace or whatever it was...Yuffie can tell us how she wants it set up and everything tomorrow. I already flattened the area and gave her a patch to farm. She scoffed at the thought of having to grow food, but I told her she can go back to her beakseed diet if it was a problem. Yuffie's already saying she'll have the best produce this planet's already seen...Yeah, okay. With what seeds?_

 _My EPP is finished. A couple of days before Yuffie showed up I took it out for a test run on a dead moon that orbits the gas giant we see almost every night, and the ship AI warned me that there were 'strange' energy signals on the moon...I wasn't sure what to expect. The EPP is pretty cool, it sends out a "bubble" of protection against the elements, and in this case it gives me air to breathe on airless worlds.  
_

 _So, being on a moon is...interesting. The gravity is low, so I'm not as worried about falling to my death when I can't prepare a proper landing. I'm still a hard to kill freak, but some of those drops in the dark are too much, even for me. Here the pits are deep as hell, but the landings are soft. Anyway, this is where I'll find fuel for the ship. I went pretty far into the moon's caverns until I found this huge deposit of Erchius fluid and ore. I sucked up as much as I possibly could, but the moment I started harvesting I felt this...tingle in my back. Like something was hunting me. The AI warned me that I was getting the attention of some dangerous creature, and I should probably keep moving from cavern to cavern and get back to the surface._

 _That was a tense few hours. I had to dig through stratum(at least it was soft) and swim through fuel that I couldn't suck up just getting to a place I could teleport. I did get a glimpse of the thing searching for me...It was some purplish, monstrous spook that was clawing the air as it floated closer. To hell with that. I did get a lot of fuel for the ship, however. I'm going to put our home system coordinates in the system so it's easy to find, and next week I'll search another star system. I'd like to see an ocean planet, maybe the family can go to the beach for a day. It'll be almost just like that time we all went to Costa del Sol together, except there's probably Hylotl instead of humans...Somehow I don't think that would be a problem for the kids at all._

 _Oh, our Floran tenant mentioned there was going to be a big hunt soon, and asked if I wanted to join. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. I kill enough things on a daily basis. It sure knows how to stroke my ego though; apparently Stabs(Yes, that's its name) approves of my giant sword, said "You have many ssswords to ssstabs the prey, all in one sssword!" Guess even here the Fusion Sword is one of a kind. Kind of thinking about upgrading it somehow. I know it can handle a lot, but I won't say no to improvement. Well, here's to hoping for another friend appearing out of the blue this coming week. Until then..._


	9. A Day at the Beach

_I parked the ship in another star system, this one with different types of planets. Oceans, Savannah, places like that. I checked out this ocean planet and found myself on an island populated with a few Hylotl. Asked them if they'd mind a few tourists for a day and they said they wouldn't mind the pixels from visitors. So, the next day I took the family there with Yuffie in tow. We all had a blast, the kids ended up playing with some of the Hylotl children and making sand castles by the shore. Tifa relaxed on the beach and soaked up some sun, and I sat next to her, watching the kids and Yuffie goof around. I fell asleep at one point and woke up with my body covered in sand, everyone laughing at me. I guess that's what I get for relaxing._

 _We ate at this quaint little place that served local dishes, some of them somewhat familiar to Yuffie to her surprise. It was pretty good eats to be honest, had sushi and rice balls and some other, stranger stuff that still tasted pretty good. The kids ran off to some arcade with the local children, then Tifa and I just took a walk alone in the twilight. It was a pretty nice day at the beach, I think we'll have to come here in the future. The locals said a city is under the ocean nearby, so the next day I checked it out._

 _Their cities are large and in airtight constructs on the ocean floor. I entered one through the airlock, and the place is extremely modern. Neon lights, arcade games, fancy restaurants and art studios...I admit I played some of the games and won a few plushies. Denzel and Marlene can fight over those. I left after several hours of exploring, and found a fruit I was curious about, coralcreep. I thought it was a sea creature at first, but it didn't move when I touched it. Apparently we had some that day on the beach, but it was red...It tastes like lobster, that's what Yuffie said. I've never had it before because I'm not from money, but hey, guess we can add it to our diets now. I also acquired some kelp for Yuffie so she could use it in her cooking, she said it tastes similar to nori from Wutai._

 _There were some Hylotl ruins down there, and I found some interesting things down there we can use to furnish Yuffie's place. Actually, a lot of stuff down there was used to finish her house on our home planet. I needed more blue tiles for the roof, anyway. When I finally got back in the late afternoon I let her rummage through all the things I found, and she was pretty happy with what I had to offer. Her home is finished, though she still needs a fridge. The AI helped me with plans for a minifridge using some of the contraptions I upgraded a while ago, so she has a place to store leftovers. She seems to be amassing a good pixel cache, and used a few to but some coconuts from a trader to gift Tifa. Taught her how to make coconut rice with it...Was kinda nice, especially with the coralcreep meat mixed in._

 _I built a few more homes and have a few more neighbors because of it. A Hylotl, who I made a pool for in the back of the property, an Avian, another Floran and a Human. I talked with the Human a bit, and he seemed flabbergasted by my tale. They were from that place called Earth, but they left when they were a teen, before it was destroyed. Apparently there was nothing they could do to save their planet, and honestly, I feel for them. I've felt that hopelessness before, though we beat the odds in the end. Who am I kidding, we delayed the inevitable. Everything dies, even planets. Doesn't mean it has to die now...His name is Jack, and he seemed really interested in Gaia and how it worked. A planet that was alive in more ways than one seemed to fascinate the guy, especially talk of Lifestream, and how we returned to it after we die. Or did, I don't know what will happen when I meet my final end anymore.  
_

 _The Floran have been beating their bongos in the evening, making some sort of strange and rhythmic beat with them. The kids join in to the creatures' joy, and they ended up giving them both some living lights for their bedrooms for "banging good". They have a soothing green glow, and Denzel has his hanging on his ceiling while Marlene put hers by her bed as a nightlight for rainy nights. Both Stabs and Azalea are egging me on to go to that big hunt now, and it's in a month and a half...I told them if I upgrade my Fusion Swords I'll go. That answer seemed to make them cheerful._

 _The Hylotl seems hesitant to speak to the Florans, but I understand. As long as they don't fight they can avoid each other for all I care. Her name is Megu, and she's a shy sort, with sapphire blue skin and garnet eyes...This species is like looking at tropical fish in a tank sometimes. She likes to decorate the walls of her home, and keeps it quite clean, too. I gave her some coralcreep and reefpod seeds so she had some familiar food. Megu loved the gifts, and gave me a few recipes for Tifa to try in exchange. We tried one, Ocean Surprise. It certainly looked surprising, but it tasted pretty good, I have to admit. Denzel was disappointed there weren't any tentacles hanging from it. Heh.  
_

 _The Avian seems alright. His name is Chachuoc, a bit harsh on the tongue, but I'm not a bird-man. Said he left his homeworld because he finds the religion too savage, calls himself one of the "Grounded". Chachuoc explained to Tifa and I over some tea he made what many of his species does in their religious ceremonies; they sacrifice their enemies to their god and the chosen faithful leap from tall towers to have a reunion with this god, Kluex. It's elaborate and savage, but it seems those who disagree with it at least have an out, with space travel and all. Maybe these traditions are waning? Chachuoc was unsure, but hoped so. I could tell in his eyes he lost someone to this, but he never elaborated. Maybe another day. The kids like him, said he looks like a green chocobo...I had to explain what a chocobo was to him after that, and he gawked. "You rode large birds?" Yes, yes we did. I'd do it again, too, if there were any around._

 _This week I'm going to check out the Savannah planet after hitting the beach one more time. The AI said it might have what I need to improve my EPP for more hostile planets. I'm working on one for Tifa, too. Until next time..._


	10. The Color Red

_So, I was exploring this Savannah planet, and I heard a rustling from one of the dry bushes and high grass near me. Thought maybe it was one of the monsters that prowled the area, so I took a few steps back so I could get a good look at it before it pounced me. I saw a flicker of flame on a red tail, and I swear I let out the biggest shout since...Well, this was a happy shout. Nanaki popped his head out of the grass, and flashed me a grin, and I matched his. Heh. I sat down next to him and shared some of my lunch with him, he instantly caught the scent of Tifa and the kids, and Yuffie, too. He asked me if I knew where the others were, but I knew as much as he did on their whereabouts.  
_

 _I asked him if he knew what happened on the Shera, and Nanaki was as in the dark as the rest of us. He woke up on this planet, occasionally making contact with a people called the Fenerox, who seemed to understand his body language more than the small colony of humans that tend to either run away or try to chase him off with whatever weapons they have on them. He seemed almost as exasperated with humans as that day we first met. I pat him on the back and told him if he doesn't mind the rain, he can stay on our planet, and he jumped on the offer._

 _Yuffie about tackled him to the ground when he appeared in the teleporter, screaming his name and shaking the poor guy about. The tenants weren't sure what to make of him at first, but quickly came to ease at his presence as he spoke to them. The Floran thinks he talks too much, and laughed when he said he agrees. Heh._ _ _Chachuoc seems to have taken a definite liking to Nanaki, inviting him over to discuss whatever they fancy. Guess they're making fast friends, and I'm glad. Tifa and the kids are delighted to have him back, too. I remember when he'd come by and nap in front of the bar, sometimes scaring a patron.  
__

 _We aren't really sure what kind of home to make for him just yet, so he just stays at our home and usually sleeps by the fireplace. He's in front of me right now as I write this, watching me and sometimes striking up a conversation about his travels on this planet. Sometimes he'll leave for a day or so and come back when he feels like it, and if that's what he wants to do here I'm not gonna stop him. I think I'll use some of the dry earth and cobblestone from that planet and try to make something similar to his room in Cosmo Canyon, maybe he'll like that? He does.  
_

 _Anyway, I visited the human colony with him before teleporting back up. They weren't quite sure what to think when I showed up with what they had assumed was dangerous fauna...When he spoke, they nearly fell over. I guess that'll never get old, for me at least. They didn't have too much in the way of supplies, in fact they needed food as they waited for their first crops to come in. I told them I can trade some food for pixels or something else if they were low on that too. Got some space heaters and a handful of pixels from the exchange, and they have enough food to keep them until their on their feet. I came by once more to exchange, their crops seem to be coming in just fine, fortunately._

 _I found a curious metal on this planet, titanium...I can use this for all sorts of stuff, including upgrading the EPP. I took as much as I could possibly find over several days...I also took a look around the area, and I found this strange place filled with palm trees that have rainbow wood. Seriously, the wood is colored like a 's flowers sprouting all over the place, too...Marlene would love this place. I found some grape plants, and I planted that in some new plot near the house, so maybe we'll have a new juice or a jelly soon. I found a rainbow cape, and Marlene adores it, wearing it everywhere.  
_

 _I couldn't find something that suited Denzel, so I told him the next day he could join me while I explored the planet. He really loves to explore with me I think, because he jumps at the chance. Maybe I should take him with me more often? I guess he'll need an EPP too. Well, we were exploring the surface a bit and we came across a Fennix, a red, fire breathing fox-like creature. They're cute but dangerous. Denzel charged at it before I had a chance to stop him, whacking it a few times with that spear I found a while ago. Then, before I can charge in, he drops this pod and captured the damn thing. He had the biggest grin on his face when he picked it back up, whooping at his success. I took a look at the device he had, and he said it's a capture pod Azalea gave him for 'ssstabbing the glorp good'._

 _Well, so long as he keeps care of the Fennix and it doesn't burn the damn house down Denzel can keep his new companion. He named it Pyre after asking us all for some fire based words. I guess that works, doesn't it? He's been teaching it to spit fire at monsters, and while the Florans are impressed with his beast handling talents, they're obviously wary of fire. If I were a plant I would be too...Hell, I'm wary of fire regardless.  
_

 _So, that's what's been happening lately. I'm gonna finish up exploring this system and then go on to a more interesting one...Not that it hasn't been interesting already. I got some more supplies for more tenant buildings, too, so I'll probably work on that after Nanaki's home is finished. Here's to a pleasant week ahead.  
_


	11. Jitters and Sarcasm

_Well, upgrading my EPP has helped me survive new, insanely alien planets this week. I guess I got a lot to cover..._

 _First, I finished roaming that other system. I put down a portal on that Ocean planet so we could visit here and there, then I took the ship to a more dangerous system...the AI insisted I do so if I want to acquire something to improve the Fusion Swords. And who am I to disagree? The star system is totally irradiated, but doesn't seem to stop the denizens at all. I checked out a Jungle planet first, and I can say thankfully we now have coffee plants. Tifa and I both had a bad case of the jitters from going so long without it, but I missed that particular morning ritual. She made a coffee cake with some of the leftover coffee from the first morning._

 _I found a weird fruit on this new planet, and...it tasted like sweet cherries. I took the seeds, and later on when I brought some of the fruits home it tasted different to everyone. Marlene said it tasted like spinach, her least favorite vegetable, Denzel said it tasted like cola, and Tifa tasted something like chocolate. I tried a piece again and it tasted like mushrooms. I checked with the neighbors and Chachuoc said it was an Avesmingo, "the fruit of a hundred flavors". I offered some of the seeds and he happily took them to his plot to grow. What an odd fruit..._

 _Speaking of seeds, Nanaki and Yuffie wandered around our home planet and brought back sugar cane and cocoa seeds from some far off area we hadn't traveled to yet. Marlene yanked them from my hand almost immediately for growing in her garden...Well, soon we won't have to run to the outpost for those two things. Our farm has everything we need, and soon everything we'd want._

 _I added another home out of dark bricks and fancy wood I picked up here and there from the ruins littering the planet. A Glitch showed up, its name is Mereth. It seems kind of sarcastic, and I can only really tell because it says "sarcastic" before saying something in a monotone robot voice. Understandably, it went over the Florans' heads, and I hope Mereth enjoys 'his' bongo patting neighbors. Oh, I'm not spiteful..._

 _I found something called "Durasteel" on this new planet, and after smelting a bunch into bars I asked about the outpost for a way to plate it over my swords. Pete said he could do it but it would take a couple of days, so I've been away from my usual exploration and hanging out with the kids and Tifa, if she's not looking around another planet herself. See, we usually go different directions if we visit a planet together. We're both good fighters, and we want to cover as much area as we can on each planet. They're getting a bit dangerous, so maybe we should stick together more...Maybe I'm just worried. I know our ship can regenerate our bodies, but...the thought of her dying out there from poison or lava, or a large monster or a big fall...I'm a hypocrite, I know. But it makes me cringe. Just the thought brings back memories I didn't ask to be dredged up.  
_

 _Anyway, on to better subjects. Bought another Mooshi and a few more chickens for the barn, and I repaired the fence around our house. Actually I leveled another patch of land and put new fencing around it, too. We've been finding more seeds, and we need more space to grow them. I took Denzel out with me to hunt with a new spear I found on that jungle planet, he fell in love with it. The spear somehow makes fire shoot out of the blade. Is there a materia lodged inside, maybe? I can't feel anything, so maybe it's just advanced tech. I told him to be careful with it, the last thing I need is for him to become a pyromaniac. We took Pyre with us and spent a good part of the day hunting creatures for meat, a portion of which is for Pyre's food bowl. He's a pretty good pet, affectionate towards Denzel; I guess he treats the little guy well.  
_

 _Yuffie's been exploring that ocean planet with Nanaki, the two making EPPs for any underwater adventures they planned to go on. I still don't know how the hell she adjusted his to sit on his back like that, but Nanaki still needs help taking it off and putting it on. Every time I watch those two bickering over something stupid I can't help but smile...Some things never change, do they?I guess that's how they'll always get along._

 _Tonight, as the kids hunted lightning bugs, Marlene asked Tifa and I if we'll ever find Barret. Tifa nodded, but what if we don't? He could have landed on one of the harshest planets you could find, and then we'd never find a trace of him. Maybe I should ask around the outpost for someone fitting his description, I should have done that weeks ago. But I'm sure he would have been asking for us, too, right? We've both stand out in a crowd easily. Marlene...she's trying to keep her mind off of it, I can tell._ _I miss him too, Marlene, and if I can find him I'll bring him back to us, I promise._


	12. Put the Brakes On

_I needed to take a break from discovering different planets and adventuring in general. Denzel hurt his ankle while exploring the woods last week, and Pyre guarded him as we searched for him through the night. Azalea found him while returning from a Poptop hunt, and helped carry Denzel back to the house. I wish Nanaki hadn't been off traveling, because we really could have used that nose of his during all this. Azalea and Stabs went after us, and we were all back at the house after a couple of hours had passed. We thanked them for the rescue and Tifa made them something the next day in gratitude for finding Denzel. He's starting to get back on his feet and I have a new appreciation for our Floran neighbors._

 _Denzel hated the first couple of days, he was stuck in bed during some really nice, sunny days. He would lay on his propped up pillows, arms crossed as he looked out the window. Pyre would lay next to him, so I guess he wasn't too lonely when the rest of us were busy around the house and farm. On the third day his dramatics flared up where he said if he fell off the house maybe the ship could heal him faster than his body. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him. Denzel has to learn that injuries take time to heal, and that there's consequences to carelessness. Tifa and I aren't doing this to be mean, but he needs this lesson as much as I dislike seeing him bored and in mild pain._

 _Eventually I took him for a walk as he sat on my shoulders, and that seemed to help his mood a lot. He's slowly becoming more independent, but he's still a kid. I should enjoy the time I have with him and Marlene as much as possible, before those days end..._

 _I'm still exploring the star system I parked at, but with Denzel's injury I'll wait to explore anymore. Tifa felt the same way, so we've just been doing things around the house and farm. Made the barn a bit larger, looked through materials for houses, and checked up on the neighbors. Jack helped me build some new homes over the last two weeks...I haven't looked for any tenants just yet. The first night, after we finished a house near his, he wouldn't stop staring at me. I finally asked him what was wrong, and he seemed hesitant to tell me what was on his mind._

 _"Your eyes are glowing."_

 _I almost forgot about that. I told him it was because of something that happened on our home world, and Jack seemed to pick up that I was hesitant to specify what exactly caused it. Even writing about this is making me smell mako and now my old scars itch. Not the Masamune scars, but the other ones. The ones I hide under my bracer, from the mako needles, the ones on the left side of my chest from J and S cell injections, and thesurgical scars...It's okay. We're far away from that now. It can stay in the past.  
_

 _On to happier things...Tifa decided to experiment with some of the fruits we're growing, and we have a cask of aging Corel wine in the basement now. Neither of us drink all that much, but I'm sure we could trade it to curious visitors. I might have some for the sake of nostalgia, it's probably why she made a batch. I remember the first time we tried it, the two of us sipping it like it could kill us while Barret downed his glass. Barret...I need to search further. We have Yuffie and Nanaki back, so I'll keep on hoping I find the rest of our friends out there. Or, that they find us. Maybe I could make fliers? I did it for my delivery service, and it worked. That reminds me, I need to talk to Penguin Pete tomorrow about my request..._

 _Yuffie has been going to that ocean planet as soon as she finished her EPP. She came back in the evening in a bikini, carrying off something she found at the beach or in the ocean yesterday. I admit I was suspicious because of her sticky fingers, but it turned out she was collecting seashells and colorful stones, not the personal possessions of the Hylotl. Yuffie gave a few to the kids to decorate their rooms, and they seemed to like the large, weirdly shaped things. The smaller ones were being used to decorate photo frames and light switches at her place...I have no idea why. It's her home, she can cover the whole thing in shells for all I care._

 _Nanaki finally came back from exploring the planet two days ago and said there was a village of mushroom people far to the east, at least two days of walking from the farm. He said they weren't hostile, but he couldn't make out what they were saying at all. They live in homes covered in brightly colored fungus, and they were surrounded by giant mushrooms that were as tall as trees. Nanaki brought back some mushrooms from that place, and after asking our resident Florans, we figured out they were safe to eat. I still tested out a piece just in case. I'm not dead, so Tifa can use them in her cooking. Maybe something Nanaki would like to eat too, he found them after all..._

 _Tifa's beckoning me to go to bed with her. Until next time...  
_


	13. Oculemons Are Weird

_I have my Fusion Swords back. Durasteel coating made them a little bit heftier but just a little bit. To me. Penguin Pete said if I find one of the more exotic metals I should give that a try next, they're a bit lighter with interesting properties. What kind of properties he didn't say, but I'll find out sooner or later. Right now, my swords are tougher than ever, and I'll want that extra bit of toughness as I roam the universe._

 _We also discussed arrangements for a motorcycle and what specs I wanted. He gave me an estimate and I'll have to save up a little more for it, but it'll be worth it. I miss riding Fenrir, and I'd love to not have to walk everywhere. It'll mean I can see more, faster, on other planets. This new one is gonna have sword compartments like Fenrir, run on Erchius fuel, and we're working off of a particular hoverbike model one of the space penguins brought us. The new bike should look kinda like Fenrir, but there won't be any wheels. I'll have to get used to that.  
_

 _Denzel's ankle is feeling much better now, and I think he's learned his lesson. He's more cautious about where his feet land while he's away from the farm. Pyre seems to watch over him a bit more, too. It's amazing how affectionate that Fennix is towards Denzel after such a short amount of time. I think it's a good thing of course, just a little surprising. I know I've mentioned it before...maybe Denzel hit him just right with that spear. He's slower to bond with the rest of the family, but we're letting Pyre take his time with that. He let me feed him a table scrap, and Tifa scolded me for that. I wasn't very interested in the meat in her new casserole. Sorry, Teef._

 _ _Tifa and I explored together. I had upgraded her EPP while Denzel was injured, so we could go as a pair. Hoo-boy, this place was just plain weird. And smelly. It was full of eyeballs. Squishy, staring eyeballs. How does that even work? I thought the meat cave was strange enough, now there's forests that stare at me as I walk over jiggly eyeballs...I can't stop shuddering. Most of the time the ground was thankfully dirt, but a few times it had to be eyes. We'll explore underneath this strange biome another day. I saw a cavern near our teleport point that looked sticky with tar, so there might be some oil and a whole lot of ore waiting for us both.  
__

 _ _If that wasn't strange enough, we found an edible plant. We must have stared at that thing for a good five minutes, pressing the flesh, sniffing it, wondering which of us would actually try what was for all intents and purposes an eyeball on a stalk staring at us. How do you eat it? It's ghoulish. I very tentatively licked the thing, and it tasted sour...in a strangely good way. Tifa laughed at the face I made as I licked it, I probably looked disgusted and surprised at the same time. I don't know if we're ready to eat it, but we snatched some up and the seeds, too. They look like hard, tiny eyeballs.  
__

 _ _The Floran told us what we can do with Oculemon. I was half listening as Tifa was given a few recipes, still wondering how we landed in a universe with eyeball planets. We gave them half of our haul before going home to stare at the bizarre fruits. Tifa said she had a few ideas of what to do with them, and I just left it at that. As long as she doesn't make anything that stares at me as I try and eat it. Yuffie thinks it's gross we're even trying them at all, and I think she's right. At least they aren't Pussplums. Oculemon don't ooze.  
__

 _ _Marlene and Denzel ended up finding the Oculemons and took one to play catch with in the house. We found out because Pyre eventually snapped at it in mid-air, thinking it was a real eyeball I suppose, and exploded...stuff...all over the floor. I wasn't even sure what to think. Is it juice or eye fluid? I guess it's juice. Pyre dropped the deflated Oculemon, salivating from the sour taste. I made them clean the fruit and the drool up and told them if they did that again they were gonna be fed Oculemons for a whole week. I wouldn't have actually done that. But hopefully the fear of being fed eyeballs keeps them in line a little. Tifa and I aren't strict at all, but we don't want alien fruit juice staining the floors. Or fox drool.  
__

 _Next week is the big Floran hunt. I told Stabs I'd go after showing off my improved swords, and I asked him what we were hunting exactly. Stabs said he wasn't sure and neither were the other Floran, but they call it the Red Ghost because it looks like a red phantom that floats through the trees. A few Floran have tried and failed to kill it, and it became the focus of the hunt a while ago because it seemed like a worthy challenge._

 _So, Stabs, Azalea and I are going to the planet where this Red Ghost is and we're gonna compete for the trophy. There's no groups, no one is allowed to attack anyone but hostile creatures and the Red Ghost. Winner gets the title of Great Hunter and some Floran trophy. With the Fusion Swords upgraded, this Red Ghost doesn't stand a chance._


	14. The Red Ghost

_The Floran Hunt was a success. Guess who showed them how you kill Red Ghosts? Well...  
_

 _The three of us showed up on this jungle planet. It's a little marshy and there's flies buzzing everywhere, especially on me. I think I was the only non-plant critter in the congregation. The Floran absolutely love the Fusion Swords, it was like when I showed Stabs and Azalea all over again. A lot of them were asking how I could carry such a huge thing around, let alone swing it. I twirled it around and put it back into its sheath, and they hooted and cheered. I didn't tell them why i could, but that little move seemed to cut off any more questions._

 _An elder called a Greenfinger came out a little while later, and it spoke far more eloquently than the other Floran. By that I meant it spoke like a normal sentient being. Anyway, it went off on a little speech and how we would bring honor to our tribe or family in my case. We were told which direction the Red Ghost had been sighted last, and then we were all off. I wished Stabs and Azalea luck and they did the same to me before we all took off into the dark jungle.  
_

 _I think I still have swamp scum in between my toes from the hunt. Good thing I kept to the trees when I could._

 _The Floran didn't expect a human to be able to leap onto tree branches without tech. A few times I had to brace for inevitable falls as I jumped onto a rotted branch, or catch a branch where I misjudged the height. A few times I had to trudge through the swampy ground, the water seeping into my boots. I still wonder if they'll smell the same after this. I'll find something to deodorize them properly.  
_

 _Eventually in the darkness I saw a little wisp pass through the trees. I followed quickly, quietly. My vision couldn't make out what it was exactly, because I can't make out colors in the dark. Just shapes and depth. It's difficult to describe. But, I saw it. It had to be the Red Ghost, because the wisp moved like a ghost through the trees. I continued stalking it, but I couldn't shake the feeling it was observing me, too._

 _I was surprised when it started to follow and circle me as I went deeper into the jungle. Instead of ahead of me it would be to my side, or even behind me. The Red Ghost did that once, just once. I fell off of my perch and onto the dirt below, Combination Sword in hand. He was circling me. I thought that perhaps it believed I was an easy target when all of the Floran weren't nearly so far in._

 _I heard rustling to my right, and soon an adult Poptop crashed through the brush, roaring at me. I took my sword apart so I had an extra blade in my free hand and went to work on the giant, all the while watching for the Red Ghost. I wondered if it would strike while I was preoccupied, or flee. I really didn't want either scenario. I'd like to say the poptop wasn't a big deal, and it really wasn't, but it scratched me good on the arm. My attention was split between it and my quarry, but I guess I could have been more cautious..._

 _Then a gunshot rang out, and the adult poptop fell to the ground with a bullet hole in its forehead. I blinked, then turned around. I must have been grinning ear to ear. It was Vincent._

 _Vincent was the Red Ghost!_

 _We didn't have much time to talk. I told him that I was part of the hunt to find and kill him, and after that I was at a loss for words. What to do? An idea crossed my mind. I asked Vincent for his cloak. After a few moments he reluctantly unclasped it and handed it over. I told him I'd try to keep it if I could, then told my ship's AI to beam him up._

 _I never knew Vincent could look so shocked. I suppose it was a bit sudden, being teleported for the first time like that. I would have taken a picture for Yuffie if I had had the time to.  
_

 _A group of Florans that included Azalea and Stabs reached me a few minutes later. They looked between me, the giant poptop corpse, and Vincent's red cloak. "You kill lotsss!" one of them cheered.  
_

 _"We have feassst at the camp now!"_

 _They led me out of the jungle, struggling to take the poptop with them. I helped drag it back. I killed it, after all. I've never known anyone to be so enthusiastic about hunting until I met the Floran. They lost the Hunt but they're happy about the result. I was, too.  
_

 _As they prepared and cooked the poptop I took the cloak up to the Greenfinger. It studied the cloak, then looked towards the poptop with those deep green, beady eyes. Then it looked at me, and I swore it was faintly smiling. I think it knew what I did with the so-called 'Red Ghost'. It nodded, then handed the cloak back to me. I said that the cloak was trophy enough for me; and it was. I found another one of my friends. The Greenfinger asked me to at least stay for the celebration, and I did. I ate roasted poptop meat and drank some strange drink that was tangy and sour that went well with the meat._

 _They gave me a mask made of leather and bones. It's...kinda creepy looking. There's sharp fangs stitched where the mouth should be. It's grinning. There's pointy ears on the sides and little horns jutting out of the forehead, and some red feathers lining the edges of the mask. The eye holes are round but white paint marks the eyes of the black leather mask, and stubby ribs made up the eyebrows. There's a flat nose and two tiny rectangles for nostrils.  
_

 _When Denzel sees this he's going to be so jealous._

 _Eventually I left after thanking them all for the hunt and the party, though Azalea and Stabs lingered. That was fine. I beamed back up to the ship and Vincent was there, patiently waiting on me. I handed him his cloak, though I asked him not to wear it for a while. Azalea and Stabs would probably forget about the cloak in a month if we're unlucky. I told him everything that had happened since that day on the Shera.  
_

 _If anything he seemed relieved. It's sort of difficult to tell with Vincent, at first. But once you get to know him he's not too hard to read. I told him we had been hoping we would find everyone someday, and finding him kept our hopes up that we would find everyone alive. I asked him about himself, and what he had been up to.  
_

 _Avoiding the plant folk, he responded. He didn't wish to kill them despite their hunting zeal. It wasn't a difficult task for him, but he never thought they would go so far as to set up a big hunt for him. I asked if he had seen any other alien people besides the Floran,and he said no. He had been stuck on that sweltering jungle planet for months. I told him that the ship had a shower in it he could use before we teleport down to our home planet.  
_

 _"Home planet?" He sounded like he was uncertain he had heard right. Yep, a home planet. He'll even get some time to himself before Yuffie finds out he's back._

 _He took that shower I offered as I looked through the ship's locker for some clean clothing. I know he loves that black suit of his, but it needs to be washed. I guess I can't talk. I used to get horribly filthy after some of my deliveries and even now after I explore different planets. Actually, I'd say it's worse now. The first time I explored a meat cave Denzel and I both came out covered in a film of...I don't want to think about what that was, but it was hard to clean out.  
_

 _I came home with Vincent and let him sleep on the sofa. I think I'll set up a guest room tomorrow so he has a more comfortable place to rest. Or maybe I'll let him use one of the vacant tenant houses if he'd like. We'll see tomorrow. Right now I'm in the bedroom on the chair in the corner. Tifa's asleep and after the hunt the bed looks very, very nice._

 _I forgot to take off the mask. Why didn't Vincent say anything? She woke up to me staring at her with it on! Until next time..._


	15. Vincent's First Day

_I'm updating my journal a bit sooner than I usually would, but a lot can happen in one day. Especially when that day involves Yuffie and Vincent reuniting after neither were sure the other was alive. We all kind of eased him into the universe we ended up in. It's not that he's easily phased, he's not, but it's still a lot to take in. Even for a former Turk it's going to take getting used to. So, we let him quietly examine the house this morning. Yuffie would probably sleep til lunch so no hurry.  
_

 _He gets a good look at the inside of the house, and takes a peek at the barn through the window. Tifa gives him a hug before slipping him a mug of coffee. He's grateful for it, he says. It had been months since he had coffee, let alone a hot meal. Not that he hadn't gone decades without either once before, but I think he appreciates these things more than he lets on. The kids are happy to see him when they come downstairs for breakfast. They ask where his cloak is and why he's not wearing is suit, and I tell them it got really dirty and had to be cleaned. I guess it's a little odd, seeing him in casual clothing. A dark pair of old crew pants and a black T-shirt, and a pair of socks. His bandana of red fabric had been left on the ship, so besides the red eyes and pale skin he doesn't look particularly strange.  
_

 _We eat breakfast and I tell everyone about the hunt and how I found Vincent. I told them not to say anything to Azalea or Stabs about Vincent being the Red Ghost, and that was that. After we ate he quietly asked me why we have a wicker basket full of eyeballs an almost undetectable pang of worry in his voice. I admit it, it was funny. I guess he was worried we were devolving into cannibals or something. I explained that they grew on plants, and they were called Oculemons. He lifts a brow, so I continue to tell him that they're from a strange planet with eyeballs for dirt and trees that watch you walk around them.  
_

 _He seemed disbelieving, so I told him I'd show him later._

 _Afterwards I asked Vincent if he'd like one of the houses we built. We almost have a village going now. He nodded, and I led the way. It was still a little early, so_ _Chachuoc and Nanaki were the only ones out and about. Nanaki had sprinted over to greet Vincent, rubbing against his leg and getting a squeeze on the side of his shoulder in return. He had a glint in his red eyes, He actually did miss us. He told Nanaki he would love to travel with him the next time he decided to ditch Yuffie. I introduced him to Chachuoc, and that he was an Avian. Vincent was content to listen and observe, as always.  
_

 _I showed him the houses we made. He found he enjoyed the one next to Megu's place the most. When she peeked her head out to see who her new neighbor could possibly be, she looked intimidated by him. I told her he was an old friend of mine, but she still seemed rather coy. I'm sure she'll warm to him later. He seemed curious of her, and inside the house I explained that she's what's called a Hylotl. Vincent asked if any of his neighbors were as zealous as the Floran, and I told him just the two that I had come to the hunt with. Mereth keeps to itself mostly, so Vincent will probably have little contact with that one. Well, until Mereth starts yelling at Stabs to stop with the bongo bopping.  
_

 _Vincent's house is simple but suits him. I let him pick out the furniture I had available at the time, and told him there's room for a garden in the back if he wanted to plant any seeds he found on his travels. He asked what kind of plants, besides ones that grow eyeballs. I told him we've found seeds for grapes up to fruit that acts as a perfect meat substitute. The Matter Manipulator caught his eye when I used it to place things, and I went through explaining what I knew about it. I really don't know the nitty-gritty, but I know if I push this button I can minimize an item, and that button let's me place it somewhere, back to its normal size. All I need to know is how to make it work.  
_

 _After we set up his house over the course of several hours I took him back to our place for lunch. I thought Yuffie would still be asleep at this time, because she had been staying up lately for whatever reason. Nope, she was trying to get back on her normal schedule again. Vincent was almost crushed by a scrawny ninja slamming into him. He let out a surprised grunt, and she was squealing like she found a pile of super rare materia. After the shock wore off he...actually hugged her back. It was light but meaningful coming from him. He hugged her more firmly when she began crying.  
_

 _After she was done clinging to him she dragged him into her house to eat lunch. Vincent looked back at me with a resigned expression on his face before the door shut. That was fine, I'm sure she had a lot of catching up to do with him. Tifa and me still have some more to talk about, and so does Nanaki, but we'll give him a couple of days after Yuffie got through with him. Too much talking just kills the poor guy._

 _We invited him over for dinner, and he took the offer after I got Yuffie off of his back. Tifa made really good spread tonight. I really like her Shepard's Pie, the stew underneath tastes close to the one Mom used to make. Leave it to this universe to put mashed potatoes on top. Why didn't we think of that? She also made some mushroom bread, and a drink called Cyanider. This was the stuff those Floran gave me at the post-hunt party! Vincent really liked the dinner. He was in a good enough mood he humored the children a little bit and told them about the swamp he ended up in._

 _He's actually not bad with kids, it's just that he's quiet, and they always have questions. Especially for him. Vincent enjoys company without always having to interact with the company. And the ability to leave when he feels like it...He's a lot like a cat.  
_

 _We finished off the rest of the apple crumble Tifa had made the night before, then I saw him back to his place. I told him if he wants to disappear for a few days we understand. He nodded and said he would stick around a bit and get his bearings; he's still a bit shocked he's here, with us. I'm less shocked since I found Yuffie and Nanaki. Speaking of which, Nanaki came by before I left to ask Vincent if he minded if he crashed at his new house. Vincent said it was okay, and I left them to it after a 'good night'._

 _I think I'm gonna shower and get ready for bed. Three down, three more friends to go. Until next time..._


	16. Earth Music

_So rent was due in the little neighborhood we have going here. Usually I get some pixels or some supplies we could use if they didn't have currency. That's fine, it's just like it was at Seventh Heaven: If you didn't have gil just bring in a potion or something and Tifa would get you a meal or a drink going. We're pretty well off on this new home of ours so there's no trouble at all being flexible with our neighbors._

 _Chachuoc gave some pixels and a loaf of freshly baked beakseed bread, Megu gave me some bandages and a few seeds she picked up at a friend's place. Azalea and Stabs had...fresh meat. Well, they usually give us some choice cuts, so I'm not complaining. Mereth just handed me a bag of pixels and shut the door on me after alerting me to its grouchiness. I went to Jack's place last, expecting his usual pixel count or maybe a bunch of Earth snacks. But this time Jack gave me something different.  
_

 _It was this little grey device and a pair of headphones. I knew it was a music player, though I hadn't seen one since coming here. Or maybe I had and I wasn't paying attention. Anyway, none of us are too familiar with the music of this universe, except for the twenty songs on the jukebox downstairs. They're from all over the place, Earthling, Floran, Hylotl, all there. Jack gave me a library of Earth songs, specifically those from what was considered their musical golden age. "From 1930 to 2030!" he said._

 _He seemed smug about it._

 _I didn't think it was that big of a deal. We have music where we're from, too. Mooglapella, Girl Next Door, ChocoChika, who ever it is that sings the jingle for Costa del Sol...Our music culture was restarting after Meteorfall, and I remember there being some heavy metal and thrash bands that played in warehouses in Edge. Kalm had a different vibe to its music, using traditional string instruments and a thing called a water chime. Nibelheim used to have its own folk music that imitated the howls of the mountain passes and the chirps of birds that accompanied plucked strings and a drum._

 _But what Jack had was very different._

 _I took the music player home and after a while I decided to rest in the living room, on my favorite chair. The kids were out playing and Tifa was somewhere with Megu. I scrolled through the list and noticed that there were roughly ten thousand songs on it! I wasn't sure where to start so I put it on shuffle and waited for a song to start playing. A beat started playing, melancholy but alive. Then the singer began to wail out they lyrics in a gentle, boyish voice. I caught myself gently waving my shoulders and head to the beat, it was pretty good. It was called "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead" by Gorillaz. It's a strange name for a band, but I digress.  
_

 _I ended up using my afternoon to listen to songs. David Bowie, Kiss, Prince, Led Zeppelin(Kashmir was amazing), Pink Floyd...I probably shouldn't list everyone I listened to, it would clog up the journal. Some of the hip-hop was a good listen, the country music was kinda depressing except for a few songs. I let Tifa listen to the music player when she got home, and we're planning on purchasing a few and putting our favorites onto those so we can carry them with us. I might see about putting them into the jukebox, so we can try to dance again. A lot of these songs were made for moving around._

 _Marlene and Denzel listened too, after dinner. They both have different genres they like with a little overlap, but we'll know how much overlap when they get more time to check out more of the songs. There seems to be something for everyone on there.  
_

 _It was a really cool device Jack gave us. I guess he wanted to share what Earth was good at doing, and what I had heard around the space station was that Earth was the best when it came to entertainment. I believe it, now. Jack had said this was a tiny slice of the amount of songs they used to have on earth. How many could they have had? What I've listened to so far was mostly amazing._

 _I know Yuffie will want some of these...I'm gonna hide this thing until she gets her own music player to copy these onto. There is absolutely no way I'm letting her steal this, no thank you. She's been busy bothering Vincent so I think I have a good chance of keeping it safe for the time being._

 _Other than that, not much else to talk about. I haven't been exploring lately but hey, those planets aren't going anywhere, and I gotta make an EPP for Vincent. It's only been a few days since Vincent settled down here, and I'll probably visit that eyeball patch again with he and Tifa in tow. Can't wait to prove to him that eyeballs do indeed grow on trees.  
_

 _Like someone said one day before_

 _The answer is in the wind._

 _ _Until next time...__


End file.
